Getting Close to the Finale?

“But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:”     2 Timothy 3:1. NKJV

“And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.”  Matthew 24:12. NKJV

I think it fair to say that if there is a better description in the Word of God of the world we live in right now, I am certainly not aware of it.  The Greek word used here for “perilous” is chalepos, which is defined as “troublous, difficult, harsh, fierce, violent.  I can’t help but wonder how many would choose to describe the first two weeks of 2025 in this way?  I have already lost count of the number of times I have seen the word apocalyptic used these past ten days, and truth be told I believe it will prove to be only the beginning.  Why is that?  I think it is becoming obvious that someone has a plan and that plan is unfolding at an increasingly quicker pace.

“And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,”  2 Thessalonians 2:8-9  KJV 

Desperate times call for desperate measures.  Are you familiar with that saying?  If one were to choose to apply that to the current events we are seeing in this country, as well as around the world, who would you consider to be the one who could rightly be described as desperate?  Who, or should I say what, entity desires nothing more than the overthrow of society as we know it, with the objective being the total control of this world?  I think you have guessed by now that Satan, the evil one who has, since creation, tried to corrupt and control this world, is the one who is behind all the evil we see occurring right now. 

Most students of prophecy or even those who only passingly familiar with what the Bible teaches about the tribulation period, a time which many watchers feel is staring us in the face, will recognize the passage above from Thessalonians as referring to the coming world leader, most often called the antichrist.  Yet many miss the one word which helps to explain exactly what we are seeing in the world today, and the reason for the violence which seems to be evolving into an almost daily occurrence.  The word I am referring to is found in verse 9, and it is the word “after”.

You see, we as believers are told, and most are willing to accept, that the individual behind the evil we are seeing today is none other than Satan.  Of course, some might well ask the question why it is all of a sudden increasing to the extent we are seeing with signs of only getting worse and not better. Personally, I see a parallel between what Satan is doing, and what a conductor of a symphony does as he conducts an orchestra.  I have had the opportunity to watch many performances by some of the world’s greatest conductors and it is always amazing to me to watch the intensity build as the conductor leads the orchestra to where he wants them to go, the grand finale.

“For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.”  2 Thessalonians 2:7  NKJV

Did you notice Paul’s comment, “already at work”?  Of course, Satan has been working against our Father since the Garden of Eden, but in the context of the preparation for the appearing of his minion the antichrist, Satan is now creating the conditions which will allow the antichrist to take power as easily as he will.  It seems a simple premise, but many miss the fact that in order for one man to become the world’s “Mr. Fixit”, the world has to be broken.  It’s my opinion that what we are seeing now with such an increase in violence is Satan leading the world to the finale which will usher in the reign of his chosen one.

“All these are the beginning of birth pains.”  Matthew 24:8  NIV

“Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.”  Mark 13:8  NIV

When Jesus spoke to his disciples in the garden concerning the point in time that we have so obviously arrived at, He chose to use the example of a woman in labor to illustrate how events would unfold.  Although some might argue that the events Jesus was referring to occur exclusively within the seven year tribulation, I believe the picture we are given is enlightening in the fact that for nine months of a pregnancy it is painfully obvious that a woman is preparing to give birth.  Not only do I believe some of the events Jesus referred to can occur before the beginning of the tribulation, I am certain what we are witnessing today in this world and the dramatic increase in violence is a sign the labor is upon us.

As I watch the world attempt to explain away the increasing level of violence and natural disasters we are witnessing by placing the blame for it on something or someone, or some particular group or organization, my question for you today is rather simple.  Who do you think is behind them?  You see although the world looks for an easy, explainable scapegoat, as believers we understand that the presence of evil in this world lies at the feet of only one source, Satan.  Evil men are simply the tool he uses to accomplish his goals.

“The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?”  Jeremiah 17:9  NKJV

I believe that not only the overall upsurge in violence around the world, but even the outright hatred exhibited in our country right now comes from just one source.  Satan is orchestrating the evil we see today and is using it to lead an unbelieving world to the point in time where they will gladly embrace the appearance of Satan’s handpicked world leader who will usher in the period of time which will eventually threaten the very existence of the world we know. Unfortunately for those who choose to embrace this “savior”, rather than bringing the utopia they believe will come, the result will be something much different.  How bad will things get? 

“men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.”  Luke 21:26  NKJV

“For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. “And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.”  Matthew 24:21-22  NKJV

As believers we are told that the violence during tribulation period will be so bad that not only will men die simply from the fear they experience, if God did not intervene and stop the tribulation at seven years every man, woman, and child on earth would die.  This is Satan’s plan for this world, and what we are seeing now is Satan orchestrating events to bring his plan to fruition.  I believe the labor pains are only going to get worse, and according to the Word of God, they will not stop until He comes to put an end to it.  Our responsibility today as the Church, the body of Christ, is to recognize the enemy, resist the enemy, and most of all reveal the enemy.  When an unbelieving world wonders at the violence we are seeing, we as believers are afforded the perfect opportunity to share the hope of our deliverance. 

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”  Ephesians 6:12  NKJV

Of course, while the deliverance from the evil of this world is available to all, it’s guaranteed only to those who choose to accept it by believing on the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  If you are reading this today and have never made that decision, you can do it right now wherever you might be by simply praying a prayer like this;

Jesus I know that I am a sinner, and have sinned against you.  I believe you loved me enough to send your Son Jesus to die for my sins, and that He rose from the dead so that I can live.  Forgive me of my sins and come into my life and help me to live for you.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

“that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”  Romans 10:9-10  NKJV

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Kurds in the Way

“The burden against Babylon which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw. “Lift up a banner on the high mountain, Raise your voice to them; Wave your hand, that they may enter the gates of the nobles. I have commanded My sanctified ones; I have also called My mighty ones for My anger— Those who rejoice in My exaltation.” The noise of a multitude in the mountains, Like that of many people! A tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together! The LORD of hosts musters The army for battle. They come from a far country, From the end of heaven— The LORD and His weapons of indignation, To destroy the whole land. Wail, for the day of the LORD is at hand! It will come as destruction from the Almighty. Therefore all hands will be limp, Every man’s heart will melt, And they will be afraid. Pangs and sorrows will take hold of them; They will be in pain as a woman in childbirth; They will be amazed at one another; Their faces will be like flames. Behold, the day of the LORD comes, Cruel, with both wrath and fierce anger, To lay the land desolate; And He will destroy its sinners from it. For the stars of heaven and their constellations Will not give their light; The sun will be darkened in its going forth, And the moon will not cause its light to shine. “I will punish the world for its evil, And the wicked for their iniquity; I will halt the arrogance of the proud, And will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible. I will make a mortal more rare than fine gold, A man more than the golden wedge of Ophir. Therefore I will shake the heavens, And the earth will move out of her place, In the wrath of the LORD of hosts And in the day of His fierce anger. It shall be as the hunted gazelle, And as a sheep that no man takes up; Every man will turn to his own people, And everyone will flee to his own land. Everyone who is found will be thrust through, And everyone who is captured will fall by the sword. Their children also will be dashed to pieces before their eyes; Their houses will be plundered And their wives ravished. “Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, Who will not regard silver; And as for gold, they will not delight in it. Also their bows will dash the young men to pieces, And they will have no pity on the fruit of the womb; Their eye will not spare children. And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, The beauty of the Chaldeans’ pride, Will be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. It will never be inhabited, Nor will it be settled from generation to generation; Nor will the Arabian pitch tents there, Nor will the shepherds make their sheepfolds there. But wild beasts of the desert will lie there, And their houses will be full of owls; Ostriches will dwell there, And wild goats will caper there. The hyenas will howl in their citadels, And jackals in their pleasant palaces. Her time is near to come, And her days will not be prolonged.”  Isaiah 13  NKJV

What I want to share with you today is a subject I have shared before but considering some of the events which have occurred recently in Syria following the fall of the Assad regime, I have chosen to share it with you again. Many of you will recognize this passage from Isaiah as the prophesied destruction of Babylon which we are told about in the Book of Revelation.  Other references to it can be found in Isaiah 14, and Jeremiah 50 and 51.  When speaking on the end times, and speculating on how close we may be to the events in Revelation, a popular quote we often hear is this; “when you see the Christmas decorations going up, you know that Thanksgiving is near”.  So too, we can recognize the signs of the nearness of the rapture by the preparations going on all around us for the events we are told will occur during the tribulation.

Over time I have found that there are many things taking place that at first glance are so small that they somehow escape notice.  One of those might well be found in this passage from Isaiah, and we could do well to consider it in regards to current events.  I am speaking of the mention towards the end of the passage of the group of people called the Medes which are described as having “no pity” as God uses them to implement His judgment on Babylon.  So how can it be that Isaiah tells us that they are present during the tribulation when they no longer exist today?  Or do they?  While the news this past week focused almost entirely upon the attack on US forces in the Middle East and our response to it, other events occurred which may have an even greater significance.

Attacks on the Kurds must stop                                                    https://allisrael.com/attacks-on-the-kurds-must-stop-israels-fm-saar-calls-on-world-to-stand-with-syrian-kurds-against-turkish-attacks

Turkey Bombs U.S.-Allied Kurds in Syria

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/12/turkey-bombs-u-s-allied-kurds-syria-while/

Kurds to Netanyahu and Trump: The clock is ticking                 https://worldisraelnews.com/kurds-to-netanyahu-and-trump-the-clock-is-ticking/

In the region of the Middle East where the countries of Iran, Iraq, and Turkey co-join, there is a relatively small group of people known as the Kurds.  These people number approximately ten million or so, and at present find themselves in much the same position as Israel was before 1948 in that they have no country of their own and desperately desire one.  Also, much like the Jews, they have been persecuted in every country in which they have tried to live.  Yet unlike the Jews, the vast majority of Kurds are Muslim, which begs the question; why are they being persecuted in the Muslim part of the world?

In fact, it appears that the Kurds are descended from the ancient Medes, who at one time partnered with the Persians to form the Medo-Persian Empire, which was revealed by Daniel to be the second of the four great empires which were to rule that part of the world.  Cyrus the Great, whom we meet during Daniels’ time, was part Mede and part Persian.  He captured the city of Ecbatana (the modern day city of Hamadan in Iran) which was the capital of Media, and created the greatest empire to rule in the sixth century before Christ.

Eventually Alexander the Great arrived on the scene and defeated them as part of his campaign to conquer the known world at that time, and slowly the Medes disappear from the annals of history.  Yet many of today’s Kurds believe they are descended from the ancient Medes, and although there is some disagreement among scholars as to the validity of this claim, the important point is that God tells us they will exist at the time of Revelation.  The obvious conclusion then is that they are alive and well today, and considering the venom of their revenge on Babylon, they must believe they have a serious ax to grind.

As I have studied this prophecy, that is essentially the conclusion I eventually arrived at; it is revenge which motivates these people to destroy Babylon in the way that they do.  The Kurds of today wish desperately for a homeland they can call their own, but neither Iran, Iraq, Syria, Russia nor Turkey will allow that to happen.  You see, in order to do so the land would have to come from one or all of these countries and none of them is willing to allow that to happen.  So the situation as it exists today is that there are ten million ethnic people descended from the ancient Medes who desperately wish to have a land they can call their own.  However, not only is that dream being denied, they are under the threat of extinction because of the hatred of the countries surrounding them.

You could make the point that the total destruction of Babylon during the tribulation period is one of the most significant events to occur in those seven years.  The book of Revelation tells us that this city will be Satan’s capitol on earth and the center of the anti-Christ’s power.  Although its destruction is at the hands of many nations, only the Medes are mentioned by name.  I believe that this is God’s way of telling us that this is personal for them.  It is a logical assumption that revenge is a very good motivation for the total lack of compassion and extent of destruction which this passage describes as not being seen on this earth since God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.

The Kurdish army goes by the name Peshmerga, a term you will often find in the news today.  They are excellent, determined fighters as opposed to many other so called armies in that region and would fight to the death for their country.  They have a history of fighting as professional soldiers and mercenaries, and a reputation as the fiercest fighting force in that part of the world.  Are the seeds of their desire for revenge being sown right before our eyes?  Will the persecution they are receiving from the surrounding countries provoke their desire to strike out at the center of the anti-Christ’s power during the tribulation?  According to Isaiah it will, and if God said it, I believe it.

To me, the simple fact that the Kurds are being mentioned more and more in the news suggests God is putting all the pieces in place in preparation for His coming time of judgment. The treatment of these people can certainly explain their motivation for what the Bible says is about to happen.  Since He has promised to remove believers before this judgment takes place by way of the rapture of the Church, now more than ever the decision to be included in that event is the most important one you could ever make. If you have never taken the step of accepting His gift of eternal life, I urge you to do it right now.  Simply pray a prayer like this one and confess to God your need for salvation, and accept the gift He provided for you by the death and resurrection of His own Son, Jesus Christ.

Jesus I know I am a sinner. I have sinned against you, but I know you loved me enough to send your Son, Jesus Christ to die for my sins and then rise from the dead so that I may live forever with You. Lord forgive me of my sins and come into my life and help me to begin to live for You. In Jesus' name, Amen.

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Press On

“Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” 

Phillipians 3:13-14 NKJV

A few months ago I finally decided to spurge and do what probably just about everyone else has already done and purchased a subscription to satellite radio for my car.  Finding a radio station in my neck of the woods has always been frustrating so I decided to give this a try.  As I scrolled the offerings I soon found stations that played music from different decades, and as you might expect, I settled on one playing music from my high school years. I won't tell you which decade that was, but to be honest I was soon caught up in a flood of memories that at times really made me wish I could go back and live those days all over again.

As I began to think about that though, I wondered why I or anybody else would want to? The obvious answer would most often be so that we could do things different. However if that is our answer, it raises another question and that is why do we not forget the things we might want to change or do different? Is it wrong that we remember mistakes we may have made, or recall hurts and maybe emotional trauma which might have an effect on the decisions we make today?

If this passage from Paul is any indication, it would seem that if our focus is on the past and not the future, the answer to that question is yes. The Greek word for forgetting is epilanthanomai, which is a verb meaning 1) to forget 2) neglecting, no longer caring for 3) forgotten, given over to oblivion, i.e. uncared for. I think what Paul is telling us here is that as a believer, He too, like most of us, recognized he had made mistakes in the past. But as he reflects on his present life, he understands that his focus, and ours, needs to be on the future and not the past. In this chapter Paul is describing what is called a “faith based righteousness”, or in other words, the fact that in God's eyes our “righteousness”, or becoming acceptable in His eyes is based on our faith, and not our works. Since it is impossible for us to live this life without making mistakes, Paul tells us that we need to forget what is in the past, which we certainly can't change, and focus on the future which we can. 

“Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.” 

Phillipians 3:12 NKJV

Something else I noticed about this passage, and something that I find reassuring is Paul's use of the phrases “press toward” and "press on" when referring to this life. It is actually a rather interesting word because if you look closely at it's meaning, it's not as simple as it might first appear. My first thought was we are being told to “grind it out' but if you examine it, it's something quite different. In the Greek, the word for “press on” is diōkō, which means 1) to make to run or flee, put to flight, drive away. So actually Paul is instructing believers to do two things at the same time. When we are told to "press on" towards the “goal for the prize” which comes at the end of race, in essence Paul is saying we need to run FROM the things that might hold us back and TOWARDS the finish line where we will receive our reward.

Is there a danger in looking back? Well obviously, I'm sure most of us have experienced being distracted by something while driving and then looking back ahead only to find we are in the wrong lane. Not focusing on what is ahead of us has its dangers, and I can't help thinking of one Biblical example of looking back in the Old Testament.

“So it came to pass, when they had brought them outside, that he said, "Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed." 

Genesis 19:17 NKJV

“But his wife looked back behind him, and she became a pillar of salt. 

Genesis 19:26 NKJV”

In this instance, there was obviously a punishment for looking back but understand I am not saying if we don't attempt to forget the past we will suffer the same fate. Yet if we consider what happened here, it seems what God is saying is that if we do in fact look back, we are of no use to Him now. I truly believe that is what the Apostle Paul is telling us here as well. Consider how most believers look at Paul and the effect he had on the world and the evolution of the Church as we know it. Then recognize that he is willing to admit he was just as bad of a sinner as we are, and had plenty of things in his past which he would probably like to do over. Yet his advice to us is to forget the past and focus on the finish line ahead of us in order that God can use us to accomplish what He has called us to do right now.

Is it easy? Of course not, yet that is exactly what God inspired Paul to write to us today. Focus on what's ahead, and forget the things in the past that would serve to distract us from our goal. Don't look back.  As we approach the new year and the time when many are fond of making resolutions, I would suggest that considering many of us believe the rapture of the church is just around the corner, we should all recommit ourselves to following Paul’s advice and look forward and commit ourselves to finishing the race set before us well.

The signs of Jesus’ return, the labor pains He told us would occur, are happening all around us and He could call us home to be with Him at any time.  If you have never made the decision to accept this free gift of salvation, or are in any way unsure of your eternal destiny, I encourage you to pray this prayer and accept God’s promise to save you.

Jesus I know I am a sinner in need of salvation. I believe you sent your Son Jesus to die on the cross for my sin, and I ask you now to forgive me of my sins. I want to receive your gift of salvation so please come into my heart and help me to live for you from now on. In Jesus' name, Amen.

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The First Watchmen

 

"And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. "For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. "And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, "Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us." And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger."        Luke 2:1-16 NKJV

I wrote this post a few years ago but thought I would repost it for you today.  For the record, I don't consider myself a wise man, but I still desire to faithfully watch for the return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, just as the wise men watched for His first appearing so very long ago.  I am encouraged by the many of you who share that passion and tell others about the obvious signs of His soon return.  My prayer is that if you are reading this, you too are a member of God's family and join me in watching for His return.  Have a Merry Christmas.

I’m sure most of us are familiar with the Christmas story and have either read or heard it preached on for many years. Being raised in a Christian home my earliest memories of Christmas are filled with images of Mary and Joseph traveling to Bethlehem, finding no room at the inn, and Jesus wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in the manger.  Of course, like most of us, as I grew older I began to study and learn about the “stories within the story” and of those, the one that has always fascinated me concerned the wise men who followed the star, and exactly how they knew to do so.

"Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. When Herod the king had heard [these things], he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, And thou Bethlehem, [in] the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found [him], bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way."      Matthew 2:1-12 NKJV

The answer as to why the Magi came in search of Jesus is contained in the single phrase, “ Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east”.  Obviously, the Magi had been told that a future King of the Jews would be born one day and a star in the east would not only herald His birth, but lead them to Him.  The Magi were priests and advisors to the rulers of Parthia, a kingdom whose roots go back to the Babylonian Empire of Nebuchadnezzar.  Their knowledge of the prophecy of a coming King came from the teaching of Daniel, and his revelation of the message he received from the angel Gabriel spoken of in Daniel 9:24-27.  The result was that these Magi had been “faithfully watching” for over 600 years for the sign they had been told to watch for.

Believers too, have been given the task of faithfully watching for the return of this King, Jesus, for His bride.  We have been given signs to watch for and they are all around us today.  The most important question is, though, are you prepared to go home with Him when He calls?

My prayer is that all of you have a joyful holiday season remembering that Christmas is all about the most precious gift of all, the gift of God's Son to die for our sin so we may spend eternity with Him. I hope you have received that free gift by praying to our Father and accepting the salvation He has offered.  As we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, I hope we remember that He was born to die, so that we can live. While we celebrate His birth by giving gifts to one another, may we never forget that it was His gift to us, the ultimate sacrifice, which allows us to make the choice to accept Him as our Savior and become one of His own.

If you are reading this today and have never made the decision to allow Jesus Christ to come into your heart, and accept the free gift of eternal life He has offered you, I urge you to do so right now. You can do that by simply praying this prayer and accepting the gift of eternal life God has offered all of us by the death and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ.

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner and I believe You died for my sins. Right now, I turn from my sins and open the door of my heart and life to you. I confess You as my personal Lord and Savior. Thank you for saving me. Amen.

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